Nathan s



N. S. NOYES.

Potato-Digger.

Patent/ed Aug. 27, 1867.A

Witnesses:

@eine 'faire @stmt lffirr.

NATHAN s. NOYES, or PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN'.

Letters Patent No. 68,309, dated August 2T, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN PO'IATO-DIGGBR.

.TO ALL WHOM IT MAY4 CONCERN:

Beit known that I, NATHAN S. Norris, of Plymouth, in the county ot' Wayne, in thevStatc of Michigan, have invented an Improvement in Potato-Diggers; and I do declare that the following is a. true and accurate description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, 'and to the letters of'reference marked thereon, and being a part of this specification.

'lhe carriage of this apparatus consists of a frame, A, set upon a. proper axle, and wheels, P I. R is a sm'all guiding-wheel, attached by a rod and spiral springs to the frame, and acts upon the lever S and' bail Tin raising and'lowering the front of the apparatus. X is a hook attachedto the-frame A, which, when hooked on to the lever S, holds the front of the apparatus clear ofthe ground. C is a grating whose points are sharpened, suspended by the frame U. The points of this grating are intended to pass under the hill of potatoes and take it up, when the potatoes are raked to the rear end of the apparatus by the rake-teeth on the endless apron D. These rake-teeth are placed upon the endless belt in such shape/as constantly to draw the potatoes to the.

centre of the grating C, vwhile the dirt falls through theinterstices in the grating. By means ofthe connectingrod E, worked by the eccentric wheel H, attached to the shaft L, the grating C has a perpendicular motion which causes the dirt to drop through to the ground. AUpon-the opposite end ofthe shat'trL is another connecting` rod, worked by a similar eccentric wheel, to sustain and give motion, the same as is given by 1E and H. M is a wheel attached to the axle, which gives motion by means of the belt :V to the drum N, around which revolves the endless belt D. .e The drum N is made octagonal in form, to prevent the endless belt D from slipping. F is a pulley attached to the shaftA upon which the drum 'N is .placed,`to give motion to the eccentric wheel H by means of the belt K is a double mould-board plough, sharp at its lower edges, to cut off the tops of thc vines. I is a collar fitted to the inner end of each of the hubs of the wheels P P, andv held in place by the spring O. The inner sides of this collar are provided with projections which {it into corresponding indentations in the huh, and allow the wheels to be turned backwards, or the digger to be turned around without deranging the apparatus in any way. t

Having thus described the construction and arrangement of my invention, the practical operation of the same is as follows: The machine is placed over the row o potatoes so that the wheels P P shall be on each side of it. As' the machine moves forward the plough K e'ut Oft' the tops or vines, and the teeth of the grating C are forced under the hill, when the potatoes are caught by the rake-teeth upon the endless belt D and drawn over the`grating,iwhile the dirt is dropped through to t e ground. In backing or' turning round there is no possibility of deranging any part of the mechanism of the digger.

What I claim as my invention, and desire tose'cure by Letters Patent, is

1. rlhe perpendicular motion given to the grating C, for the purpose described.

2.* The combination and arrangement of the frame A, seat B, .grating C, endless belt D, connecting-rod E, pulley F, eccentric wheel H, plough K, collar I,' shaft L, driving-wheel M, drum N, spring O, wheels P P, wheel R, lever S, bail T, frame U, belts V W, arranged substantially as described for the purpose designed.

NATHAN S. NOYES..

Witnesses:

Gno. A. STARKWEATHER, N. P.` CHANDLER. 

